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The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Letting libraries crumble is attacking the vulnerable
Libraries have always been more than shelves and silence. They're vital spaces for the whole community and one of the few places where you're not expected to buy a coffee just to sit down. In today's digital world, they're a lifeline for those who can't afford broadband or don't have access to a printer. We talk about levelling up, tackling isolation, improving literacy, supporting mental health – libraries do all of that and more with far too little credit. It's not just short-sighted to let them crumble; it's attacking the vulnerable. If we're serious about building a fairer, more equal Scotland, we need to stop treating libraries like optional extras. They are – and always have been – lifelines. Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, Tayport. Read more letters Definition of a hate crime To be a hate crime in Scotland, something must first be a crime. Then, for any crime, if it is proven in court that the motive was prejudice on grounds such as race, religion or sexual orientation, the crime is recorded as a hate crime. The motive can then be taken into account by the sheriff in deciding an appropriate sentence. That's been the law for 15 years and more. Tearing down the street decorations for a parade is likely to be the crime of vandalism. In the case of the Arran Pride march ("A hate crime on Arran? No, just a sign of where we are", Mark Smith, The Herald, June 2), the fact that it was an LGBTI+ event and was targeted in that way suggests that it may in fact have been a prejudice-motivated crime. In that case it's right that the police look into that. Whether it ends up recorded as a crime, and potentially prejudice-motivated, depends on what evidence there is. Mark Smith suggests that the perpetrator may have been a gay person who doesn't like the rainbow flag. Hypothetical, dare I say imaginary, based only on his own views about trans people it seems, and frankly a great example of victim-blaming. Disliking what a flag represents suggests more than a dislike of the colours or design, it suggests disliking the inclusion of those that the flag represents – the wide and diverse LGB+ community alongside the people of colour who founded the LGBTI+ movement, those lost within the AIDS crisis and of course, trans people. It's hardly surprising that the police might consider this flag being torn down to have been motivated by prejudice and hate. The Equality Network's Scottish Trans team were at Arran Pride, and we're happy to report that despite the vandalism the night before, everyone had a really great time with locals – celebrating everyone's diversity and calling for a better Scotland for everyone. Rebecca Don Kennedy, CEO, Equality Network, Edinburgh. Glasgow's transport shame I fully agree with Stuart Neville (Letters, June 3) who comments on the fact that Subway travel in Glasgow is a difficult and confusing experience if you are not familiar with all the stations on its circular route, due mainly to the lack of any visual indication of which station the train is approaching, in spite of over £28 million spent on its upgrade. As Mr Neville says there are the occasional spoken announcements, some of which are understandable and some not. I am also somewhat puzzled as to why after this lengthy and expensive revamp the service frequency is less than in the days of the previous "Clockwork Orange" system. Another obvious drawback is the fact that the service stops operating at 6pm on a Sunday, something that was previously blamed on the need for extra maintenance to keep ageing rolling stock and infrastructure working. Sadly the Subway seems to be like the rest of our city's disjointed and expensive public transport in that passengers come, by some distance, a poor second to what suits the various operators in Glasgow. The city centre is no longer the thriving and busy place it once was as retail, hospitality, theatres and music venues suffer from the lack of footfall. Surely it is obvious that easy-to-use and affordable public transport is a must to help Glasgow get back to being the city it once was. William Gold, Glasgow. A train on the revamped Glasgow Underground (Image: SPT) Educating Nigel AJ Clarence (Letters, June 2) remarks on Nigel Farage's likeness to one Joe E Brown. As one of your older readers, I have always thought Mr Farage unnervingly like 1950s ventriloquist dummy Archie Andrews, in oh so many ways. Rosemary Parker, Troon. Memories of Canada scheme In the "100 years ago" section today (The Herald, June 3) mention is made of a scheme for young boys to go to Canada. My mother's brother was sent to Canada aged 16 with £2 in his pocket in 1929 under this scheme. It was run by the British Immigration and Colonisation Association of Canada (BICA). It would be considered very controversial nowadays as its slogan was "Keep Canada British". They had an office in Bath Street, Glasgow. Boys aged 14 to 18 were recruited to work as farm hands for 10 shillings a week with full board. Boys who went out under this scheme and who saved £100 by the age of 21 would receive a loan of £100 from the Canadian Government to set up their own farm. My uncle returned to Glasgow in 1931 having completed his first three years. He returned under the scheme in late 1931. However the coldest weather on record hit East Ontario in late December 1933 and my grandmother paid for his return home. He spoke about his time in Canada often. It was not easy for many of the young farm labourers. Some were badly treated and lived in wooden shacks. There was very little supervision of essentially a fairly wild bunch of teenage lads from modest backgrounds. He was aware of one lad who had not been paid, was molested by the farmer, and stole food. Then he found himself in prison and was deported. However my relative struck lucky and was well treated. Eric Flack, Glasgow.
Kiwiblog
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Kiwiblog
General Debate 24 May 2025
Was out to dinner with some ex-pats here in Thailand. One of the couple was from Seattle and they said they'd sold everything and just moved here. One of the couple had very masculine features and though I didn't ask assumed they were trans. I asked what the imperative was and they said they were LGB and they were afraid of their lives. I thought that was a bit OTT so asked what was happening. The example they used was people renewing their passports (for the USA Real ID I think that's coming in strongly now) but the government was confiscating their paperwork. Why would they do that, I asked. Turns out people are applying for passports as Josephine Bloggs but their birth certificate says Joeseph Bloggs. Now I didn't want to get thrown out right from the get go, so I kind of stopped there but FFS. You can't have your passport and birth certificate being different. That's fraud. If you want to be a trans woman then commit to it. Change your birth certificate, change your name by deed poll, and get a new passport. And get a bit of surgery. Don't moan about how the identity system doesn't just let you do anything you want! Then the conversation moved onto the line of 'the government is rounding up residents and deporting them'. A la Bruce Springsteen's comments at a recent concert. So I said from what I've read, it's not a wholesale scoop up of people, it's Tren de Aragua and MS-13. Why would you want to keep them? 'Oh, no, residents who have done nothing wrong'. Which I took to mean people like Khalil. So I said 'what do you think about the situation in South Africa where the politician is chanting 'kill the Boer, kill the farmer'? 'Terrible, that's terrible'. 'Don't you think someone organising a group to chant 'kill the Jews' is just as bad? 'err, umm, err, ummm well they're grabbing innocent people. They just don't report it'. I stopped. A bit disconnected from reality I thought. But then again, I'm there to scope the place out in case the Greens and the Mazi Party get back into power so maybe I'm just as crazy.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ask Chris: Where did people arrive in L.A. before LAX was built?
When the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce published their map to the L.A. airport shortly before it opened in 1928, there were more than 50 locations to choose from. The Jurassic versions of LGB and VNY were shown, and thrill seekers could board a flying machine in the barley and lima bean fields where LAX is today. Terminal One was built a year later and is still in use by maintenance crews. Artifacts from this era are on view at the Flight Path Museum, not far from Terminal One. That spot, called Mines Field, is also where 61 passengers arrived to great fanfare in 1929 aboard the giant dirigible Graf Zeppelin, which had traveled from Tokyo on a 'round-the-world' expedition. A few years later, blimp tourism exploded with the Hindenburg. It wasn't until 1946 that American Airlines, United and others set up passenger terminals at LAX. Passenger ships from around the world disembarked at General Steamship in San Pedro and, later, Matson in Wilmington, but those slips are gone and those old berths are unrecognizable after decades of freight embiggening. Relics from the 1950s Matson terminal — which was once compared to a Palm Springs resort — remain, including statuary, urns and 'angel' light posts. Route 66 brought interstate traffic to Southern California in 1926, but a century ago, rail was probably the most common way to arrive in L.A. Before Union Station opened in 1939, you could greet visitors at Southern Pacific's Central Station at 5th & Central or Santa Fe's La Grande Station at 2nd & Santa Fe. Stars travelling in from the East liked to disembark at Pasadena's restored Santa Fe Station (which until recently housed the lovely restaurants La Grande Orange and Luggage Room Pizzeria) to avoid the paparazzi. An iconic palm tree salvaged from an earlier SP location downtown, Arcade Depot, was relocated and still sways above the Coliseum. You can also still visit La Grande as a teensy miniature at the Velaslavasay Panorama. All aboard!
The National
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Joanna Cherry does not speak for LGB people like me
Three weeks ago, Ms Cherry was seen on national TV celebrating outside the Supreme Court with the 'gender-critical' groups For Women Scotland and Sex Matters. Last week, Sex Matters published a letter they have just written to NHS England and the UK Government, which calls for all young trans people to be blocked from transitioning. This is proposed on the basis that their life as trans people will be much more difficult after the court's judgment. The letter says 'their future lives and freedoms will be seriously curtailed'. Hyperbole or fact? READ MORE: Joanna Cherry slates Nicola Sturgeon response to Supreme Court ruling Ms Sturgeon made clear that it is not the judgment itself, but the way it will be interpreted, that matters most. I hope, but doubt, that Ms Cherry will stand with those calling for an interpretation that minimises the harm caused. For example, that organisations that wish to make public that they will continue to include trans women in their facilities for women should be able to do so. But I suspect that Ms Cherry will align with those wanting a hardline interpretation that would ban trans people from any and all facilities matching their gender identity. The effects of that are made clear in the heart-breaking website comment you published on Wednesday from Jessica McMartin. No hyperbole there, just the very real fears of a very real trans person. Ms Cherry claims to speak for LGB people. YouGov research found that only 6% of lesbians agree with her. 84% support trans people, and 10% are neutral. Anyone doubting that could go to any one of the 20-plus Pride events around Scotland this summer, where they will see huge numbers of LGB people marching in solidarity with their trans siblings. Joanna Cherry certainly does not speak for them or for me. Tim Hopkins Edinburgh WE are a group of gay men from across Scotland who form the Scotland arm of HumanGayMale (an organisation for gay men who reject gender identity ideology). We are writing to urge the Scottish Government to withdraw from the Stonewall Diversity Champions initiative, to stop funding Stonewall, and for John Swinney to encourage all government departments, agencies, and public bodies in Scotland to do the same. Following the UK Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010, it has become apparent that many organisations and institutions, including the Scottish Government, have previously been misled in their understanding of the Act. READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon breaks silence on Supreme Court gender ruling This is, in no small part, the result of the misinformation propagated by Stonewall, in particular through its various workplace schemes and training. Since the ruling, Stonewall has continued to misrepresent the situation by suggesting that the outcome is not yet law and is encouraging Diversity Champion Scheme members to not make any changes to policies or practice in light of the ruling. Stonewall continues to push an agenda of 'gender identity' being paramount to sex. This is an ideology that says how you feel is more important than the reality of biological sex. In doing so, it erases what it means to be same-sex-attracted. As gay men, Stonewall is telling us that being gay means being 'same gender' attracted, and that a heterosexual female who identifies as a gay man must be accepted as a gay man. Lesbians are also being told the same thing about heterosexual men who identify as women. This is the modern equivalent of conversion therapy. It is a slap in the face that the Scottish Government is actively funding Stonewall (with public money) and participating in the ideological indoctrination scheme that effectively erases what it means to be gay. We urge John Swinney to stand up for and protect the rights of gay men and lesbians across Scotland. READ MORE: LGBT+ Americans living in Scotland fear return to Trump's US Much like women's rights groups, our HumanGayMale meetings in Scotland are forced to be held in secret, lest adherents of the 'LGBTQ+' lobby try to shut us down for refusing to believe 'transmen' can be gay men. The Supreme Court ruling has made clear that our meetings are legal and that we can legitimately exclude all women from our events, even those who call themselves gay men. If John Swinney truly wants to help gay people and understand the perspectives of gay men on this topic, he would do well to read the report from the Gay Men's Conference 2025. Or he could send a representative to take part in the Scotland version of this conference in July this year. HumanGayMale, Scotland Group THE BBC are up to their tricks again with River City, trying to reduce the viewing figures. Once again they have stopped broadcasting the series, after potentially killing off one of the main characters. There is nothing they will replace this with that will have any relevance to Scotland, and its loss will destroy the futures of a lot of talented people. It may only be another soap, but it mirrors Scotland and its people. Norman Robertson via email
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gay railway station volunteer banned over gender-critical views
A gay volunteer was banned from a railway group after expressing his gender-critical views on email and social media. Matthew Toomer, 48, was thrown out of West Midlands Railway's 'Adopt a Station' scheme after he privately contacted company bosses to express concern about its 'Progress Pride' train. WMR rebranded one of its trains last summer with a 'rainbow diamond motif' that bares similarities to the Progress Pride flag, which features a yellow diamond. It was also named 'Hurst Street' after the Birmingham road at the centre of the city's Gay Village. Mr Toomer commented on a social media post about the rebranded train, asking if it would 'return to its natural state once the event is over'. In response, he was summoned to a meeting and told that his views 'do not align with [WMR's] values and mission'. He was banned from the Redditch station volunteer group. Mr Toomer said: 'As a gay man myself, I want to stress that this wasn't about objecting to visibility. My concern was the increasing tendency of public transport organisations to take visible positions on divisive issues. 'The Progress Pride flag has become associated with particular ideological stances – particularly around gender – which not everyone, including many within the LGB community, fully endorse. 'My position was simply that public services should remain neutral and welcoming to everyone.' The new train was named 'Hurst Street' ahead of Birmingham Pride last summer - West Midlands Trains The Free Speech Union (FSU), which represents the volunteer, has written to the rail operator to warn it that punishing Mr Toomer in this way 'unjustifiably restricts his freedom of expression, and that it is contrary to WMR's stated values of diversity, equality and inclusion'. Rebekah Brown, a case officer at the FSU, called on the train company to 'apologise for this vindictive decision and reinstate him'. Instead a spokesman claimed to The Telegraph that Mr Toomer's social media activity in general 'felt problematic'. The WMR spokesman said: 'Our company has a proud culture of inclusion and allyship. 'We believe the views Mr Toomer has expressed on social media on a range of subjects are at odds with these values and could be harmful or offensive to our colleagues, customers or other volunteers. 'We have therefore asked that Mr Toomer no longer volunteers on behalf of West Midlands Railway.' When asked to point out examples of allegedly 'problematic' posts by Mr Toomer, the spokesman failed to do so. 'Majority of WMR customers will agree with Mr Toomer' Ms Brown, the FSU case officer, said: 'WMR should focus on delivering a working service for their passengers, not compelling every volunteer to be a fellow traveller for corporate wokery. 'I expect the vast majority of West Midland's Railway's customers will agree with Mr Toomer, not with WMR's enforced ideological orthodoxy. 'A train company has no business acting as the arbiter of permissible opinion for volunteers, with these chilling consequences for individuals' freedom of speech in their daily lives.' Train companies' efforts to align themselves with political ideologies have caused a number of controversies. Last year Government-owned LNER prompted outrage after a senior manager trawled through a passenger's social media account to find material to justify refusing to answer her questions about the cost of a similar Pride train rebrand. Similarly, Avanti West Coast triggered a row after a racial diversity-themed 'wrapping' of one of its trains. Unlike the well-known rainbow Gay Pride flag, the Progress Pride flag is associated with the pro-transgender political movement. This campaigns for the view that men who wish to call themselves women – that is, changing their gender to become trans women – must be treated as if they had been born female. This political stance was dealt a fatal blow by the Supreme Court a few weeks ago when the country's most senior judges ruled that such trans women are not women, and are therefore not allowed to use women's facilities such as public toilets and changing rooms. Securing lawful access to such areas is a key focus of pro-transgender campaigners and lobbyists. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
